


Waiting

by Gabberwocky



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: M/M, Promise, Technically there's death, and it's not sad, but it's all off screen, spoilers: endgame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-26
Updated: 2018-01-26
Packaged: 2019-03-09 14:21:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13483299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gabberwocky/pseuds/Gabberwocky
Summary: “Then… what is this place?” He looked around. “Everything seems so… familiar.” And it was. He was sitting in an exact replica of the throne room of the palace. Through the window, he could see the citadel, all the buildings upright and as perfect as they day he’d left them, all those years ago, on the way to Altissia.“The afterlife.” Luna responded. “It’s where the Crystal brought us, after we died.”“But… why?” Noctis looked over. “It’s done, isn’t it? Eos is safe.”She nodded. “It is. This is where we wait.”“For what?”“For everyone else.”





	Waiting

Pain. That was Noctis’s world at the moment. Pain, the vision of Ardyn half-daemonized and ready to destroy the world, then peace. Light.

When he opened his eyes, he was on his throne with Lunafreya sitting next to him in what would have been her wedding dress. Noctis blinked, confused.

“What? But I… Luna?”

She smiled. “Noctis. My dear Noctis.”

“But you’re… dead.”

“So are you. You did it. You brought light back to the world.” Luna smiled up at him and took his hand. “Just like I knew you would.”

“Then… what is this place?” He looked around. “Everything seems so… familiar.” And it was. He was sitting in an exact replica of the throne room of the palace. Through the window, he could see the citadel, all the buildings upright and as perfect as they day he’d left them, all those years ago, on the way to Altissia.

“The afterlife.” Luna responded. “It’s where the Crystal brought us, after we died.”

“But… why?” Noctis looked over. “It’s done, isn’t it? Eos is safe.”

She nodded. “It is. This is where we wait.”

“For what?”

“For everyone else.”

Noctis blinked, but accepted it. He did have someone to wait for, after all.

And so they settled in, changing into more comfortable clothes, not what they would have worn for their wedding. It was strange, this afterlife. It didn’t feel any different than living, except that time was off. Some days, it seemed as though the sun was up for weeks on end, allowing Luna and Noctis to wander around easily, walking from the Citadel to Galdin Quay with no fatigue, sitting by the ocean and listening to the waves. He would tell her about their travels, what trouble they’d gotten in, and she’d tell him about fulfilling her duties as Oracle.

One of those days, near tears, Noctis told Luna of Prompto, the little boy who’d grown up to be one of the people Noctis cherished most, how they’d loved, how both were excited to see her in Altissia, Noctis to reconnect and Prompto to meet the woman who first held his lover’s heart. And Luna smiled and said that she, too, was excited to meet the man who’d caught Noctis’s heart, that it was ok that Noctis loved them both, that she would willingly share him if he would share Prompto.

Other days, the sun never rose, and Noctis had the terrible fear that he’d failed, that the days with Luna were naught but a dream until she rolled over and kissed him, and they’d lose themselves in each other until the sun rose again.

After the first few week-long days, Noctis stopped trying to keep track of how much time had passed, content to wait with Luna until everyone else joined them.

Of those they were waiting for, Ignis was first. It was bittersweet, as Noctis knew that seeing his Advisor here meant he’d died, but Ignis’s words when he blinked his eyes open and saw Luna and Noctis standing before him in the field of sylleblossoms almost made the king cry with laughter.

“Majesty… Either I have woken from a terrible nightmare or I have fallen into a wonderful dream.” Ignis had said, eyes searching for the first time in, presumably, years.

“Neither,” came Luna’s voice, and Ignis’s eyes landed on her. “The Crystal brought you here upon your death, so we can wait together for the others.”

“Then I apologize for keeping you waiting.”

“Don’t.” Noctis said, stepping forward to lay a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Don’t ever apologize for living your life, Ignis.”

The man nodded, and just like that, he fit into their lives here in this world, walking with them to wherever they decided to go that day. More often, it was the Quay, but sometimes they’d go sit under the trees in Duscae, just the three of them, and Ignis would tell them stories about the years they’d missed, waiting here for their companions to join them.

He told of how, after everything, he and Gladio found comfort in each other. How they’d helped to rebuild the Crown City and that it was back to its former glory, thank you very much.

Noctis smiled at that, happy his two friends finally admitted what was so obvious to everyone else and that they’d been able to restore the city that used to bring hope to so many.

It was under those trees that Ignis recounted, tearful, the tale of how he and Gladio found and adopted their own little girl.

“She is beautiful, Noct.” Ignis said. “And proud. In some ways, she reminds me of you.”

Noctis chuckled. “How so?”

Ignis smirked. “Well for one she is impossible to wake in the morning.”

Luna laughed, the three of them bumping shoulders as Noctis protested weakly.

Afterwards, Ignis smiled and looked to the blonde, the only girl so far in their group. “We named her Luna.”

She gasped, tears of joy collecting in her eyes. “We’ll wait. We’ll wait, Ignis. For her to join us as well.”

Ravus, surprisingly, was next, walking into the palace. Luna smiled, moving quickly to wrap her brother in a hug, Noctis and Ignis following behind, the former with a small frown.

Ravus answered Noctis’s unasked question. “I got a little lost on the way.”

It was Ignis who stepped forwards next. “Thank you, Ravus. For your help in Altissia.”

The man nodded, and he, too, fit into their lives, albeit a bit more awkwardly than Ignis had.

Gladiolus was next, appearing in the field of flowers just long enough to get his bearings before being pulled into a fierce hug by Ignis. It seemed the years together had weakened the advisor’s aversion to emotional outbursts.

“How’s Luna? Is she ok?” Ignis asked, rapid-fire, and Gladio laughed.

“She’s fine, Igs. Misses you.” He looked around at the people in the field. “And I guess she’ll miss me now, assuming this isn’t a dream.”

Noctis shook his head, smiling. “It isn’t. It’s good to see you again.”

Gladio grinned. “Same here.” Ignis still hadn’t moved from his side, so he slipped an arm around the other’s waist as the group walked, sharing stories of their daughter and their grandchildren.

“Crazy young kids.” Gladio remarked. “Could give Iris a run for her money.”

Ignis chuckled. “Come now, Iris wasn’t that bad.”

“You’re forgetting the time she ran off after a cat and caused an uproar in the palace.”

“And got me grounded.” Noctis piped up, smiling.

It was only a little while after that that Noctis, Lunafreya, and Ravus wandered off, to leave Gladio and Ignis to really catch up, and even then Ravus split off from the pair, waving them off even as they insisted he stay.

Alone now, just the two of them, Noctis realized something he should have a lot sooner. “Luna… how long did you wait alone?”

She laughed, high and musical, before shaking her head. “I was never alone. He’s just moved on now. Once you came, he didn’t have a reason to wait with me.”

Noctis looked curious. “Who was he?”

“Nyx Ulric. A Kingsglaive.”

“A Kingsglaive?”

She nodded. “He was the one who rescued me from the Empire during the fall of Insomnia. He put the ring on and managed to convince the Kings of Old to help take down the imperial troops and help me escape.” Luna sighed. “He paid with his life. No one but one of the Line of Lucis is meant to wear that ring.”  

Noctis took her hand. “He sounded like an amazing person and a fine warrior.”

“He was more than that. He was a hero.”

After Gladiolus, the waiting felt worse. Longer, to Noctis, though he didn’t bring it up to anyone else. He assumed it was the anticipation. With Ignis and Gladio here already, the next person was the one Noctis wanted to see the most: Prompto, with his stupid hair and that stupid, stupid goatee he had when they were thirty, and that amazing smile that could light up an entire room.

When he did arrive, it wasn’t in the flower field as everyone else had. It was in the library, where Noctis was sitting and reading, alone for once.

“Oh please tell me I’m not dreaming.”

Noctis looked up and dropped the book. “Prom…”

“Noct… please… please tell me this isn’t a dream.”

He shook his head, standing to cradle Prompto’s face in his hands before capturing his lips in a kiss. “It’s not. You’re here, you’re here.”

And Prompto choked on a sob, realizing all at once what that meant, that he was here with Noctis (that he was _dead_ back in the real world _oh my gods)_. “Who else… who else is here?”

Noctis smiled, bumping his head gently with Prompto’s. “Everyone.” He smiled. “Everyone’s here.”

Hand in hand, they walked down into the field, meeting Gladio and Ignis first. That was a happy reunion, Gladio barking out a loud laugh as he lifted the small blonde into a hug, asking rapid-fire questions about how everything was before Ignis stepped in.

“Maybe we should meet up with the others before Prompto delves into his stories.”

Prompto, still wrapped in Gladio’s arms and laughing, looked confused. “Others?”

Noctis chuckled. “I thought you were excited to meet Lunafreya.”

“Dude, duh. Let’s go!”

Laughing, the four friends made there way forwards, easily finding Luna and Ravus on the beach.

“Noct is this… Galdin Quay?” Prompto asked, still getting his bearings.

“That’s what we’ve been calling it. It’s easier.”

Luna looked up at the sound of Noctis’s voice, a grin breaking out when she noticed the new comer. “Is this Prompto?”

He smiled and bowed a little. “My lady.”

She giggled. “I never did thank you personally for finding Pryna.”

Prompto flushed. “It was no trouble. I’m glad she made it back to you ok.”

They settled in, Prompto sandwiched between Noctis and Luna, as he told his story, how the city was faring, all these years later, how Luna’s (Gladio and Ignis’s Luna) kids were growing up now.

“Hang on, I have- oh, wait.”

Noctis chuckled. “You’d be surprised.”

That was the thing about this afterlife. Anything they wanted, they got. Luna had a garden back behind the palace, which though it looked like the one back in Insomnia was a lot smaller inside. Noctis had a room for his video games, Ignis and Gladio were responsible for the library and training room respectively, and Prompto, now, was responsible for the photo album that appeared in his hands as he gaped.

“I… wow.”

And with that, they flipped through the album together, chuckling at each photo. Ignis asked about one he wasn’t familiar with: Luna on a hospital bed, surrounded by her husband and children, holding another infant in her arms.

“Oh, yeah. After both of you passed, Luna had one more kid. A little boy.” Prompto smiled. “She was sad you two weren’t there to meet him, but I went for you guys. Said you’d be happy for her.”

“We are.” Gladio said, smiling. “Got any more pictures of the little guy?”

The photographer snorted. “Who do you think I am?”

Noctis smiled, arms wrapped around both Luna and Prompto. “What about you, Prom? Did you have anyone?”

Prompto smiled. “I had Iggy and Gladio.” He leaned into Noctis’s side. “And I knew you were waiting. Who else did I need?”

Noctis kissed his head. “You? Probably no one. But you deserve so much more than that.”

Everyone laughed, and Prompto continued his stories, saying how all the kids had pooled their money to get him a brand new camera, how they’d always go visit Gladio and Ignis every week.

“Even when it rained.” Prompto chuckled. “It was never sad though. We’d all go picnic with you, tell you what happened that week.” He looked down. “Luna tended to linger longer, when she could. I’d take the kids.”

Prompto smiled and kept talking as the day stretched, but eventually he fell silent, content to sit with Noctis and Lunafreya, and the others took their leave. He looked between Noctis and his would-be wife, frowning a little before sitting up off the other man.

“Hey, Prom, where you going?”

“Ummm… gonna give you two… you know…” He gestured vaguely. “Space.”

“Hmmm, nope.” Noctis pulled him back down, ignoring Prompto’s squawk of protest.

“But you two…”

Luna smiled. “One of us already loves you and the other isn’t opposed to trying to.”

Prompto blushed. “O-oh… ok…”

The three cuddled up together, accepting Prompto into their little world of romance, and that was the end of that.

A while- or a second it was hard to tell, after Prompto arrived, Lunafreya came into their room, head held high but tears in her eyes. Ravus had decided to move on, saying that he had made peace with himself and what happened.

“He said… that now that he knew I was happy… he didn’t need to stay.” Luna sniffed.

Prompto moved first, wrapping her in a hug. “Hey, it’s ok. You’ll have us, always.”

Noctis nodded. “And Ravus knew that. It was his time.” He lifted Luna’s face up. “It was his choice.”

The three stayed together in their room that day, content to lay with each other and flip through Prompto’s photo album, which was steadily growing, full of the pictures from their first adventure, of everyone’s life after the Dawn returned, and some of everyone together in the afterlife.

They kept waiting, and more people came. First Cindy, grease covered as always, then Iris. She wouldn’t let Gladio go for a long time, evidently grateful to see her brother again after how ever many years had passed.

“Twenty,” she supplied. “It’s been close to twenty years. Luna’s well, so are the kids.”

Then came Talcott, smiling as always, and then came someone Noctis had never met, but who greeted Ignis and Gladio with such warmth and love that she could only be

“Luna.”

The woman turned, smiling at the man she’d never met, but who featured so heavily in her fathers’ stories.

“Noctis, I assume.”

He laughed, but nodded. “You sound like Ignis.”  

She laughed, and her laughter drew Prompto and Lunafreya, the former running over to scoop her up as much as he could.

“Luna!”

“Uncle Prom!”

As introductions were made and Luna gasped and flushed at finally being able to meet her namesake, Ignis stared.

“Iggy, something wrong?”

“She’s… she’s beautiful, Gladio. She’s amazing.” He turned to his partner, smiling tearfully. “That’s our little girl.”

Gladio chuckled. “That she is.”

Both turned back to look at her, and Luna turned, noticing the tears on Ignis’s face.

“Dad? Something wrong?”

Ignis shook his head. “You’re beautiful.”

She gaped for a second before noticing the clarity in his eyes, gaze firm and measured in a way she had never seen. “You can see! Dad, you can see!”

Laughter rang through the field of sylleblossoms and Noctis realized that he wasn’t waiting anymore. There were still people joining them, all of Luna’s children, and their children, and so on, but there wasn’t any waiting left.

There was just living.

**Author's Note:**

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